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Here's a great You Tube video by Jim Halbert of jimswoodworkingshop
. He shows how to constructing two different blast gates; one powered with a
drill motor and the other with a solenoid. According to the video you can build either of the blast gates for
less than $75.

In the first example Jim uses a Harbor Freight Cordless Drill
for an actuator and the second example he uses an electric solenoid. The construction of automatic blast gates is a bit of a specialised project, however for the larger shop with lots of machines automatic blast gates are essential parts of dust collection.

If you think old wood pallets are garbage, think again. Heres some great inspiration for all us woodworkers. Pallets are a cheep source of wood for your projects -just watch out for the 6" nails! This short video gives us some great project ideas reusing old pallets.

The
Canadian Wood Pallet & Container Association has launched a campaign
to encourage people to recycle and reuse wood packaging material.

So now sit back and enjoy one of You Tubes most popular woodworking videos of all time, with 1,149,557 views. To find out more about the Canadian Wood Pallet & Container Association see their website: www.CanadianPallets.com.

Offering substantial savings over purchasing equipment new, buying used woodwork machinery must be approached with caution. After paying for repair costs, purchasing equipment that is not in good working condition will often end up being more expensive in the long run than buying tools new. Before buying used equipment, here are the top 5 tips for buying used woodwork machinery.

Inspect the Equipment in PersonGreat deals can be found online, but always examine the equipment in person before buying. The only exception to this rule is if you are dealing with a long established and reputable dealer with a solid reputation and track record. Be sure to ask about the inspection and return policy, shipping information and get all details in writing before you buy. Never buy used woodworking machinery from a private seller if you cannot inspect the equipment beforehand.Examine the MotorThe motor is the most important, and most expensive, component on any piece of woodworking machinery. Run the equipment, under load, while listening to the motor for any abnormal sounds, such as loose bushing or grinding bearings. Feel the motor casing, with your hand, both during and after testing. The casing of a motor that is in good condition will be barely warm to the touch. If the casing is very warm it is an indication of potential problems. A hot casing is a tipoff that repairs are in the near future.Reconditioned EquipmentIf buying used woodworking equipment from a dealer, ask if the machinery has been fully reconditioned, and then ask exactly what the reconditioning process involved. At the very least the motor should have been dissembled and all parts inspected and any worn parts replaced. A through reconditioning should also include inspection of the wiring and switches and well as the equipment housing and stand. Professionally reconditioned equipment should come with a warranty comparable to new machinery.

Maintenance RecordsIf buying used woodwork machinery from a professional woodworker or woodworking shop, insist on reviewing service records that will indicate how often the machinery was serviced and any repairs that have been made, including replaced parts. Look to see when the equipment was first placed into service and how many hours it was used between scheduled maintenance.

Age and QualityOld does not always mean inferior or worn out. There is a lot of truth to the axiom, "They don’t make them like they used to," and while most new quality tools are made to last a lifetime, many older woodworking power tools were literally built to last forever. Additionally, if buying used machinery from a weekend woodworker, equipment may not have been used very heavily and still be in like-new condition.

Building wooden bird houses is a great way to attract
a variety of birds in to your garden, and it also makes a fun low cost weekend
project. In my garden I have several bird houses, It gives me a lot of pleasure each year to watch the birds nesting. Below are links to sites with some free plans and instructions.

Birds in BloomBirdhouse for Beginners.With its classic good looks, this one-board birdhouse will fit anywhere.

A Royal Society for the Protection of Birds guide to making nest boxes, including hole sizes for many UK birds and a PDF plan.

Top Tips for a Great Bird House
It is best to not to use any paint on your bird box, leave it to weather to a natural silver finish, however softwood boxes (such
as pine) can be treated with water-based wood preservatives and apply only to the outside of the box, and not
around the entrance hole. Whatever you use, make sure the box dries and
airs thoroughly before putting it up.

Don't put a perch under the entrance hole, putting a perch will give a predators somewhere to sit.

Drill the proper entrance hole size for the bird you are trying to attract.

Use galvanised nails or screws. The inside
front surface should be rough - this will help the young birds to
clamber up. A drainage hole in the base will stop the box
getting damp inside.

Hinge the lid with a strip of leather or
rubber (an old piece of bicycle inner tube would do). Don't nail the
lid down (because you will need to clean out the box in the
autumn). Instead, use a catch to keep it closed.

Once you are done building, you will need to find a good place to
put the bird house. A good location will be somewhere in your land
that does not have to much human activity. The bird house should be hung on a tree, or mounted to a pole or tree, at least 4 feet off the ground, if it is less, young birds might be
scooped out by a cat!

Hope This post has inspired you to build a bird house, let us know how you get on in the comments below.

"Stumpy is a regular woodworker, with a regular shop, who uses regular
tools to make regular projects. The kind of guy most garage woodworkers
can relate to. But he's also different in some very important ways.."

The site is in a Vblog format, its more about life in the
workshop than about the projects. Stumpy teaches us how to do things in the workshop efficiently,
what tools are best for each job, and how we can get the most from our shop
time. The videos are filled with interesting ways to
save money. If he can make it
himself, he'll do it, and show you how!

To illustrate this below is a great You Tube woodworking video from his site. It shows how Stumpy upgrades a Worksharp sharpening system, and allows the attachment of Tormek Jigs.

This site has lots of really creative ideas. The videos are really well made, informative and even funny in parts. This site is a must see for all woodworkers especially those on a tight budget!

If
you follow Blue Collar Woodworking or even if your visiting for the
first time today, we would love to Know what you think about the site in the comments
below.